RELEASE DAY BLITZ – Ready or Not by J.L. Berg

Born into wealth and privilege, free-spirited Liv Quinn left it all behind when she realized there was more to life than living off of trust funds and barely skating by. Since then, she’s worked and fought for everything she’s earned and never looked back at the world or the family she left behind.

Jackson Reid is starting over with a new job in a brand new city. A single father to his son Noah, he hopes the change will help strengthen the bond that has seemed to suffer since puberty reared its ugly head. What he hadn’t planned on was Liv—his exotic next-door neighbor who drives him insane with her wild, new age lifestyle, but still manages to leave him aching for more.

As challenges arise and feelings intensify, will these neighbors be able to look past their differences and find a middle ground? When love comes knocking, will they be ready, or not?

Once again, J.L. Berg has written a sweet and romantic story of acceptance and love in Ready or Not. This book never felt like it belonged solely to Liv and Jackson. Jackson’s son Noah owned a huge piece of this story and it made the road traveled by our main characters that much more authentic. The feeling of family that J.L. has infused into this story is absolutely beautiful. Liv and Jackson are quite a pair and their relationship is endlessly entertaining. Mix together an immediate attraction, two independent and successful individuals and a moody 11 year old and you have the makings for a book that will have you grinning. I loved Liv and Jackson’s antics as they tried to push each other’s buttons. J.L. had me laughing at and falling for these two in no time.

“Our eyes met, and in their depths, I found the missing piece of my soul.”

Liv is a fantastic character with a refreshing outlook on life. Her upper class background provides a stark contrast to her relaxed and welcoming personality, making this character a fascinating and loveable force of nature. Jackson is a little more buttoned-up, his world revolving around his son, Noah. With Liv he begins to experience life again, while she learns that something permanent may not be the nightmare she envisioned. J.L. Berg takes this couple through a breathtaking transformation during which they both exhibit significant growth. I adored the way these two fit together, their chemistry was immediate and understated, right up until the moment when it needed to explode. Both of them exhibit a highly competitive spirit and stubborn nature that only served to fan the flames of the ongoing flirtation between these two neighbors.

“You showed me that love isn’t about giving up any part of yourself.”

I adored every step of Liv, Jackson, and Noah’s journey. It was equal parts lighthearted fun and heavy emotion, weaving together Liv and Jackson’s pasts and present into the perfect love story. Ready or Not was well paced, with several unexpected turn of events that kept me on my toes. Their story had some very familiar faces that enhanced the love and family feeling of this book. J.L. Berg has made this novel sparkle with humor and a vibrancy that perfectly characterizes Liv. Her writing continues to impress me with its ability to make me feel. She always finds a way to connect her readers to the characters so expertly that I couldn’t walk away from their story if I tried. Ready or Not is another fantastic addition to the Ready series. I’m hoping we see more of this bunch again soon, because I am already ready for more!

When I finally stepped out of my car, a gasp escaped my lungs as my eyes lowered to the flower beds separating our two houses.

“Who would do such a thing?” I whispered, looking down at the decapitated and ravaged flowers.

The once beautiful display of multicolored perennials was now a churned-up disaster of footprints and soil.

My heated gaze settled on the lights glowing within the house. A shadow passed by an open window upstairs in what used to be Mrs. Reid’s master bedroom.

I took one step forward, ready to march over, meet my new neighbors, and give them a piece of my mind.

A strong gust of wind sent the curtain into a tailspin and suddenly the shadow solidified, and I saw the finest bare back I’d seen in years. It was tanned, broad, and so muscular that the defined muscles could be seen from two floors down. Hard, lean arms reached out toward a box and grabbed a T-shirt as I begged him to turn around—until my eyes found his ass.

Dear Lord.

My new neighbor was hot—or at least the back of him was.

Turn around, turn around, I silently begged.

The weather took that moment to remind me of its mighty power and sent a strong gust of wind whipping through the two houses. The curtain settled back in place, and I was once again left with shadows.

As the first raindrop fell, signaling the impending storm, I looked down at the once perfect garden that I had painstakingly kept alive as a tribute to my longtime friend and neighbor. It had been trampled on and was now ruined, and I felt the rage boiling back up to the surface.

Hot or not, my new neighbor was a plant-trampling jerk, and when I got home from work tomorrow, I’d make sure he knew it.

I’d also take a moment to see if that face of his matched his perfect back and ass.

J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready Series. She is a California native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she’s not writing, you will find her with her nose stuck in a romance novel, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.